The citizens of Armenia and NGOs condemn the occupation of the area adjacent to the Institute of Physics for the construction of a multi-storey building, the rude behavior and arbitrariness of RA Police towards the participants of the peaceful protests. The disseminated announcement says:
“The residents of the area adjacent to the Institute of Physics in Yerevan ("Fizgorodok") have been fighting for months against the illegal construction in the green zone, which will violate their right to live in a healthy living environment. On August 20, 2021, and 21, special police units used disproportionate force against citizens, seriously injuring and causing damage to children and elderly people, two of whom, one a minor, were taken to hospital. The rights of the detained citizens have been violated by the police․
Needless to say, the behavior of state structures, such as local self-government bodies, led by a political force that has declared itself democratic, is inadmissible, and the indifference of politicians is very disappointing. We strongly condemn the policy pursued in the field of urban development of Yerevan Municipality in particular, either the tendency to adopt a conventional attitude, or the tendency to regularly subordinate the public interest and the right of the community residents to a favorable environment to private business interests, the issuance of a construction permit.
We strongly condemn the brutal behavior and arbitrariness of RA Police, while its mission should have been to prevent illegalities and protect public order.
We are demanding:
• From Yerevan Mayor to review the decisions on land privatization and construction permits of the land plot at 6/1 Alikhanyan brothers in Yerevan.
• From RA Police to process the citizens' complaint on the illegalities of privatization of public space and initiate a criminal case, study the grounds of site development and the evidence of illegality.
• From RA Police to held liable all the police officers who exercised violence against the participants of the peaceful assembly and illegally brought to the police station, exercised violence in the department, as well as the officials who gave them orders․
• From courts carry out the trial of the applications submitted by the citizens in the shortest possible time, giving a proper solution to the given problem.
Signatures:
Transparency International Anti-Corruption Center NGO
Helsinki Association Human Rights NGO
Community Mobilization and Support Center NGO
Public Journalism Club NGO
For Equal Rights Educational Center NGO
Union of Informed Citizens NGO
Protection of Rights without Borders NGO
Center for Media Initiatives NGO
Restart Scientific-Educational Foundation
Restart Gyumri Initiatives Center NGO
All for Equal Rights Foundation
Armenian Environmental Front Volunteer Initiative
Women's Resource Center NGO
Center for Human Rights Research NGO
Yerevan Heritage Protection Committee
Yerevan Press Club
Open Society Foundations - Armenia
Legal Development and Protection Fund
Gayane Shagoyan, citizen
EcoLur Informational NGO
Martuni Women's Community Council NGO
August 23, 2021 at 17:38